Fabian Bredlow’s latest performance for VfB Stuttgart provided Sebastian Hoeneß with another opportunity to reiterate a point the head coach insists was never seriously in doubt. The 31-year-old stood largely idle throughout the first half of Friday night’s 4-1 win over Cologne as Stuttgart dominated proceedings and took a deserved lead through Bilal El Khannouss.

Everything changed immediately after the restart.

Cologne head coach René Wagner introduced Mikey Moore and Ellyes Skhiri at half-time, with both substitutes helping transform a previously toothless attack. Within two minutes, Bredlow was required to produce his first major intervention.

Skhiri redirected Gideon Mensah’s effort toward goal from close range in the 47th minute, only for Bredlow to react sharply and keep Stuttgart ahead.

The keeper was called upon again six minutes later when Moore escaped into space and forced a foot save. Moore broke through once more in the 56th minute, with Bredlow again winning the individual duel before Josha Vagnoman blocked Ragnar Ache’s follow-up.

Stuttgart had gone from complete first-half control to suddenly clinging to a one-goal advantage. Bredlow ensured that advantage survived. Bredlow’s contribution during that ten-minute period was therefore considerably more important than the eventual three-goal margin suggested.

Seimen injury thrusts Bredlow back into spotlight

The veteran keeper’s importance at the beginning of the campaign was never part of Stuttgart’s original plan.

Stuttgart entered the summer preparing to hand academy product Dennis Seimen the starting role following Alexander Nübel’s departure. After an excellent loan campaign with promoted SC Paderborn, the 20-year-old returned to Bad Cannstatt ready to become a Bundesliga and Champions League No. 1 for the first time.

Those plans lasted only days. Seimen suffered a serious thigh injury during preseason that ruled Stuttgart’s designated starter out until at least the end of September. The injury inevitably raised the question of whether Stuttgart needed to return to the transfer market.

VfB Board Member for Sport Fabian Wohlgemuth acknowledged that the club would discuss the possibility, but Stuttgart already possessed an experienced alternative in Bredlow. The keeper promptly set about ensuring that the discussion went no further.

Undav also described Bredlow as perhaps the Bundesliga’s best second-choice goalkeeper.

Bredlow delivers in Rostock and Munich

The early evidence strongly supported his case. Bredlow produced a solid performance as Stuttgart opened their competitive campaign with a 4-0 DFB-Pokal win away at Hansa Rostock. The scoreline suggested a comfortable afternoon, but the third-tier hosts did generate several legitimate opportunities that required the keeper’s intervention.

The match represented the first competitive test of a goalkeeper situation examined extensively in Get German Football News’s 2026/27 Stuttgart tactical preview. A far greater examination followed at the Allianz Arena.

Stuttgart were demolished 5-1 by Bayern Munich in their Bundesliga opener last week, yet Bredlow emerged from the heavy defeat as one of the few Stuttgart players with his reputation enhanced.

The veteran made repeated interventions to prevent the scoreline from becoming even more severe. Luis Díaz was denied on multiple occasions, while Bredlow also intervened against Nathaniel Brown and Konrad Laimer.

The unusual circumstances left the keeper assessing two completely different realities after the final whistle. His individual performance had been strong. His team had nevertheless conceded five. More significantly for Stuttgart’s squad planning, Bredlow felt the transfer discussion had finally been settled.

“I believe that I haven’t given anyone reason to doubt me over the past few weeks,” he said. “Now the issue will probably be put to rest.”

No late goalkeeper arrived.

One week later, Bredlow supplied another justification for that decision.

Hoeneß’ faith in Bredlow stretches back to 2023

Hoeneß’ post-match comments after the Cologne victory carried additional significance because the Stuttgart trainer traced his confidence in Bredlow much further back than this summer. The goalkeeper situation was actually one of the first personnel questions Hoeneß inherited upon taking charge of Stuttgart in April 2023.

Bredlow had only recently displaced Florian Müller under predecessor Bruno Labbadia. The change had produced mixed results, and Hoeneß admitted during his first week in charge that he had not yet had enough time to properly reassess the hierarchy. Stuttgart were last in the Bundesliga at the time and preparing for a crucial relegation six-pointer against Bochum.

Hoeneß opted against creating another source of instability. Bredlow remained in goal.

The decision gradually began to look increasingly sound.

Later that month, Bredlow made a crucial late save in a 2-1 victory over Borussia Mönchengladbach and described the result as a “victory of willpower”. Stuttgart eventually escaped relegation under Hoeneß.

Bredlow never became Hoeneß’ permanent first-choice keeper. Stuttgart continued searching for a longer-term solution, ultimately moving through Alexander Nübel before preparing Seimen to inherit the position this season.

That history lent particular weight to the coach’s remarks after Bredlow once again delivered against Cologne.

Hoeneß: “We know what we have in Fabi”

Hoeneß insisted after Friday’s victory that speculation surrounding Stuttgart’s goalkeeper position had been substantially greater outside the club than within it.

“I think it’s been discussed more externally than internally,” Hoeneß said of the decision to stick with Fabian Bredlow despite Dennis Seimen’s injury. “Internally, there was no real discussion about Fabi’s quality. We did talk about quantity [of goalkeepers] in the event that something happened. We never really busied ourselves with the question of doing something [on the transfer market].

“We know what we have in Fabi,” Hoeneß continued. “I’ve known that since I started here. He proved that again today, but also in Munich [last week] and in Rostock [during the Pokal]. That’s very positive and he deserves it.”